Abstract-card system or index



June 17, 1930.

E. RAVIGLIONE AB STRACT CARD SYSTEM OR INDEX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed May 22,1 192 s Fig.1

E. RAVlGLlONE ABSTRACT -C ARD SYSTEM OR INDEX June 17, 1930.

Filed May 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 elm 17, "19 3,0.

EUGENIO RAVIGLIONE, OF TUBIN, ITALY ansrmic'r-cann sys'rnm: on mnnx Application fled Kay 22, 1928, Serial No. 279,815, and in .Italy January 80, 192;,

' This invention relates to an abstract card system or index more particularly for large card files in which division of .work is realized by employing a main card system c.- g. with vertically laid cards for records of all kinds, and summary or abridged card files or indexes for the purpose of making searches and statistics, as in bureaus of vital statistics. The chief feature of this' abstract card system consists in that the cards or indexes have a three-fold bending at their upper edge and the bending lines subdivide the upper card portion into three folds of which the first, is somewhat narrower than half the second fold and the third or end fold is somewhat wider than the difference between the first two; in bending, thefirst' fold'is folded on to the card body, the second is folded down in the opposite direction so that it forms a top portion a little raised I above the bod being folded the card. y The middle fold bears the conventional index marks as well as any sorting and reference words or inscriptions when these latter are not written on a separate label strip conveniently held within a transparent coverin v The mvention further relates to a particular label'strip covering system.

The cards according to this invention folded as above, have under their top portion a sto for the next card, so that the indiciawritten on the top portions are visible, as they are carried by the uncovered portion which may be more than two-thirds .the height of the top portion.

Accordingto this invention the, cards are arranged one behind the other, without using any card-carrier and fitted in a suitable frame, this being a further feature of this invention. This frame allows of the full own against the rear face of vision of the cards' and of easily and readily of the card, the third fold file, by simply utilizing the resiliency of the cards, as there are no points of attachments of the cards to separate card carriers which are omitted, the cards being reliably held in place by the elasticity imparted by the three-fold bending. I

- According to this invention the label adapted to carry the indexing words is provided with holes, through which the colored signals drawn on the card are visible; it is thus possible to obtain'a perfectly uniform size of the colored mark on the cards and the marks may be drawn rapidly without bein too particular about shape and size, as t ey are made visible in their strictly exact form through the holes of the posed label.

In practice, in making the labels, sheets suitab e for typewritingv are used on which the cut and fold lines are drawn and the holes cut at the right point in order to write quickly the desired words or indicia even on several copies at a time.

The labels have an inwardly extending edge. When assembling the parts, this edge is underneath the first fold and is held in place by a protecting covering the upper and lower edges of which are bent backwards when the covering is made of celluloid or other resistant elastic and transparent material similar to celluloid, but not inflammable like this latter. Transparent paper may be employed for the coverin and in this case a third fold is made in t e covering in order to embrace the rear end fold of thesheet forming the card.

The card fold underlying the index label is beveled at the ends of its lower edge in order to facilitate pulling out the coveringand the 'paperstrip, when this is necessary for adding or changing any colored marks. -Moreov'er the lower edge of the card is out along a broken line comprising two portions at different heights connected by a inserting and removing the card from the superv owing to the elasticity of the paper, projects.

forward and comes torest on the top portion itself. The card is pushed b the hand in resuming its position in the file. v

The accompanying drawing shows by way of example an abstract fileaccording to this invention.-

Figure l is a front view of a card on .which the colored signal portions are denoted by conventional hatching.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the top portion of a card.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the label v strip on which the index words are written.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the protecting covering made of transparent paper.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the card, label and covering unit.

Figure 6 shows a modified form of the covering, particularly suitable when this latter is made of transparent material 'such as celluloid or the like.

Figure"? is a sectional view of the card, label and protecting covering unit, when the covering is of. the type shownin Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a front view of a portion of the card, label and protecting covering.

Figure 9 shows a portion of the paper sheet, previously perforated and on which the cut and fold lines are label strips thereafter cut rom said sheet.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of the card frame, broken away for simplicitys' sake in the middle and fitted with the cards. Figure 11 is a partial front view of the same.

1 denotes the card body of which the upl per portion is folded three times, as shown in Figure 2, in order to form by its middle, folded strip 1, the index or top portion of the card, on which the conventional colored marks 2 are applied along its lower edge, in-

pencil or otherwise. The end folded strip 1" is folded down on the rear face of the card, and the first fold line aformsa sto against which the next card below is pushe while the third fold line b forms the upper edge of the card which is slipped underneath the top portion or index of the next card above.

The disposition of the two fold lines, a, 6, allows any two cards to be brought'close against each other in the stop position, while leaving themiddle fold 1', namely the top portion or card index with the label and covering fitted thereon almost entirely free.

3 denotes the label, of which the lower edge is folded along a line 0 (Figs. 3 and 9) in order to form a small tongue that is held under the lower edge of the top portion 1' rinted and the out by slightly of the card. The label 3 is provided with holes 4 in correspondence with the positions of the colored marks of the top portion 1 of the card in order to limit the visibility of said marks to the areas of said holes.

In practice, the labels 3 are obtained from a paper sheet, (Fig. 9) ,of suitable width, on which the-holes 4 have been previously cut and the fold lines 0 and cut lines d have been drawn. The sheet is out along the lines d in order to separate the labels after the necessary inscriptions have been typewritten on each of them.

.On the labels 3 are fitted a transparent protecting covering 5, e. g. of the construction shown in Fi 6, where it has but two fold lines for em racing only the edges of the portion 1 (forming the card top In order to pull out the covering 5 and the underlying label 3 readily and easily by lateral displacement from the card,'whencolors on the top portion 1' of the card itself have to be added or changed, the lateral hereinafter described.

The card frame according to this invention shown in Figures 10 and 11 comprises a flat bottom 7, small side walls Ssufiicient for laterally retaining the cards, two head portions 9 and 10, respectively, for retaining the cards, in the longitudinal direction and a lower partial cover 11 tor the body of the lower card.

A thin bar 12 is secured in a central 10ngitudinal position parallel to the sides8 for holding the cards in place, without hindering vision of same. When a card is raised notch 11 .on the top portion of the next card, the step 1 projecting forward from the step 1 owing to the flexibility of the paper. In. returning the card again to normal position after slightly raising it in order to clear the step 1 from the top portion of the next card, this step 1 is pressed 113 for reading or recording it rests with the 7 rearward with the hand until it has been caught behind the top portion. This greatly facilitates handling the cards. In case of very large cards, more than one bar 12 may be employed. The cards are pulled in andbending and causing them to pass under the bar 12.

Thedesired card is easily withdrawn'by displacing it upwards. with all the preceding ones, so that the last card comes to rest with its edge against the to 9. In this position the lower edge of the esired card is free of the next card and by putting a finger under said edge and pulling outwards and laterally the card bends and can slide under the bar 12. The 0 posite process is carried out for inserting t e card again always in an easy and ready manner without spoiling.

thecard;

The card body is used for abridged records or abstracts. When'same are unnecessary, the card body is made just long enough for seizing it by the hand and the card becomes a sorting or reference index having the above described features.

The shape and constructional details of the frame may be varied from the above de-- scription and the accompanying drawing,

and so may the card details, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

- in contact with the rear card face.

2. A file card comprising a-body portion and three upper approximately parallel folds, the inner fold being less than halfthe' width of the middle one and bent downwardly towards the front face of the card body, the middle fold being bent u wardly and approximately arallel to an ward of the ront face of the card body, the middle fold being bent upwardly and approximately parallel to and projecting forward from the front face of the card so as to form the card top, the outer fold being somewhat wider than the difference in height between the first two folds and bent backwards in contact with the rear face of the card, colored index marks on the middle.

fold or top portion, and a label of opaque material fitted on the top portion and having holes in index marks.

3. A file card comprising a body port1on and three upper approximately parallel folds, the inner fold being less than half the width of the middle one and bent downwardly towards the front face of the card body,

the middle fold being bent upwardly andapproximately arallel to and positioned forward of the ront card face so as toform.

the card top, the outer fold being somewhat wider than the difference inheight bet-ween the first two folds and bent backwards in contact with the rear face of the card body,

coloured index marks on the intermediatev fold or top portion, and a label of opaque positioned forcorrespondence with the colored material fitted on the top portion and having holes in correspondence with the'col'ored index marks.

4. A file card comprising a body portion and three upper approximately parallel folds, the inner fold being less than half the "width ofthe middle one and bent downwardly towards the front face of the card, the middle fold being bent upwardly and approximately arallel to and positioned forward of the front face of the card so as to form the card top, the outer fold being some- A what wider than-the difference in height between the first two' folds and bent backwards in contact with the rear face of the card, colored index marks on the intermediate fold or top portion, a label of opaque material having holes corresponding to the'colored marks and also space for recording, and a covering oftransparent material for protecting and holding said label in place.

5. A file card comprising a body portion and three upper approximately parallel folds, the inner fold being less than half the width of the intermediate fold and bent.

downwardly towards the front face of the card body, the middle fold being bent upwardly so as to be approximatel parallel to and positioned forward of the f i'ont face of the card body'thus forming the top portion of the card, the outer fold being somewhat wider than the difference in height between the first two folds and bent backwardly in contact with the rear face of the card, bevels at the lateral ends of the top portion, colored index marks on top portion, a label of opaque material fitte on the top portion and having holes corresponding to said colored marks, and a covering of transparent material for protecting and holding the label in place.

6. A file card comprising a body portion out below to form steps and having three; upper approximately ,parallel folds, the in--- nor fold being less than half the width of the middle one and bent downwardly towards the front face of the card body, the middle fold being bent upward and approximately parallel to and positioned forward of the' ront face of the card so as to form the ,card

top, the outer fold being somewhat wider than the difference in height a between the first two folds and bent backward in contact with the rear face of the card.

7. A filing system comprising cards each having a body portion and three upper approximately parallel folds, the inner fold being less than half the width of the intermediate fold and bent downwardly towards the front face of the card, the middle fold being bent upwardly so as to be approximately portion of the card, the outer fold being somewhat wider than the difference in height between the first two folds and bent backparallel to and positioned forward of the front face of the card,thus forming. the top wardl in contact with the rear face of the fcard, vels at the lateral ends'of thetop & portion, color'edindex marks on the' top portion, a label of o aque material fitted on the top portion and having holes 5 to said colored marks, a covering of transparent material for protecting'and holding the label in place, and'a framelcomprising a bottom, two head portions, two side-walls and a bar secured parallel-to the side .walls I for holding the cards in' osition. I

In' testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 have si e'd m name.

- EUGENIS RA IGLIONE. 

